


I feel your rhythm (in my heart)

by more1weasley



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Character Death, F/M, How Do I Tag, Meet-Cute
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-04
Updated: 2020-11-04
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:53:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27376771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/more1weasley/pseuds/more1weasley
Summary: It was supposed to be the biggest night of their lives, and it was. Especially for Luke, but not entirely for the reason he expected.-☆ Written for theJulie and the Phantoms Appreciation Week☆
Relationships: Julie Molina/Luke Patterson
Comments: 13
Kudos: 74
Collections: JATP Appreciation Week





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, everybody!  
> Party people!
> 
> This is actually something I begun even before I knew there was going to be a jatp week, so thanks to my past self! 
> 
> In case any of this seem unrealistic, ignore all logic and look at the pretty boys! (It works for Kenny, so shhhh, lmao).
> 
> Anyways, I think it's pretty obvious the Julie and the Phantoms characters do not belong to me (I wish), and neither does the song 'When I Look At You' which is by Miley Cyrus. 
> 
> I know I left it a bit vague on the summary, but I kinda wanted the surprise element. So remember, IT'S AN AU! 
> 
> Ughh, this is getting too long, but I can't not thank my amazing beta, who was kind enough to read this last minute. So thank you [amandaithink](https://archiveofourown.org/users/amandaithink/pseuds/amandaithink), you're amazing! Any mistakes are my own!
> 
> Also, shout out to Lolla and Ari, and everyone from discord that has to deal with me asking tons of questions ♡ And for the host of the jatp week! This was an amazing idea and I'm loving all the new and beautiful content. 
> 
> ☆ [Julie and the Phantoms Appreciation Week](https://jatp-week.tumblr.com/post/632465015790813184/julie-and-the-phantoms-appreciation-week-november) | Day Two  
>  **↳ Fanfiction Prompt: Write an AU.**  
>  -  
> Right. Finally, into the story. Enjoy!

**PART** I

* * *

Soundcheck had been amazing. They had absolutely killed it, and Luke couldn't wait for the actual showcase. 

They were brimming with energy as they crossed the street, but their moods were brought abruptly down once they neared Sam 'N Ella's street restaurant. There was a crowd forming around the closest alley - the boy's favorite spot to eat hot dogs.

Ella was keeping people back, but it didn't stop the worried murmurs from circling the crowd. An ambulance's siren sounded in the distance, slowly getting closer.

"Hey, what happened?" Reggie asked the person closest to them. 

The woman held a hand over her heart and had a worried frown as she turned to look at them.

"Some poor kids got sick after eating the hot dogs. Sam's closed for now."

'Sick' seemed to be an understatement, Luke thought, as he heard the pained yells and cries coming from further down the alley. That could've been them, and it would've been his fault for suggesting the street dogs. Suddenly, _he_ felt sick.

Alex seemed to have gone down the same hole as him, judging by his pale face. One glance at Reggie let him know he hadn't connected the dots yet, but he would eventually, so Luke had to get them out of there. 

As terrible as he felt for those kids, there wasn't anything they could actually do, and help was already on the way. They couldn't let this ruin the biggest night of their lives. 

Grabbing both Alex and Reggie by the arms, he pulled them away and back to the main street.

"Come on, boys. We still need to fill up before the show."

"Uh, I don't think I can eat street dogs right now. Or ever again," Alex said, putting a hand over his stomach. He was starting to look a little green; Luke internally cursed.

"Who said anything about street dogs, huh? I was thinking pizza!" Luke stepped ahead of his bandmates and turned to face them, shooting a winning grin at the little pizzeria hidden between two taller buildings to their right.

"Ohhh, pizza!" Reggie raised a hand, giving them both his goofiest smile. "I vote pizza."

Alex didn't seem amused. "We can't afford pizza, in case you've forgotten."

"Dude, after tonight, we'll be able to afford anything, eat anything! We can have pizza everyday after this!"

"Everyday?" Reggie asked, eyes glazing over and mouth hanging open.

Luke clamped himself hands on the bassist's shoulders, bringing him back from pizza dreamland.

"Everyday, man."

"Right, but what about today?" Alex asked.

"Between the three of us, we can scrap enough for at least a medium sized one."

"Yeah, but that's all we have right now, dude." Reggie's shoulders slumped forward, the smile slipped off his face as he lightly kicked the ground. "I don't know when my parents will have enough time to give me more money."

"Look, we'll be fine. Bobby can pay the cab back home and tomorrow, while managers fight each other to represent the most epic band ever, we do some odd jobs and bam!"

"Oh, okay, you convinced me," Reggie said, then at Alex's narrowed eyes, confessed, "I just really want pizza, alright?!"

Luke and Reggie exchanged a look, and then turned their best puppy eyes at Alex. It only took a minute. "Oh, fine." He rolled his eyes as his friends launched themselves at him with excitement. "But if anything goes wrong, I want 'I told you so' rights."

"You got it, dude. Now come on, I'm starving."

Luke pushed the door open, and Reggie and Alex followed.

They settled down near the "stage" - apparently it was open mic night and floor space had been cleared of tables for the performers. Instead, there was a great piano near the corner, an acoustic guitar by it, and a microphone stand with a stool behind it. 

The guy on stage was crooning about betrayal on the microphone. He was good, but the song wasn’t exactly Luke’s style. Still, they all clapped when the song ended - Reggie being extra enthusiastic about it as the waiter set their pizza in front of them.

It wasn’t very big, it’d only give three small pieces to each of them, not even close enough to fill their stomachs, but they probably shouldn’t stuff their faces just before the most important gig of their lives anyway.

Luke had just bitten into his first piece when the host walked up to the mic.

“Next up, let’s give it up for Julie Molina.” The crowd clapped as the man stepped away and a curly haired girl made her way across the floor to the grand piano. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luke simping over Julie and her killer voice, because what else is new.
> 
> "The girl, singing her heart out and playing like her life depended on it. No, not like her life depended on it, like her life _was_ it. This was her true self, her soul, her heart."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, be prepared for me to bullshit my way through this. If anything is too unrealistic, ignore all logic and look at the pretty boys. 
> 
> Also, no beta for this chapter. We die like illiterate fools. (Update: amandaithink came through, like the angel they are, thanks for everything ♡)
> 
> With that said, this chapter is dedicated to:
> 
> ☆ [Julie and the Phantoms Appreciation Week](https://jatp-week.tumblr.com/post/632465015790813184/julie-and-the-phantoms-appreciation-week-november) | Day Three  
>  **↳ Fanfiction Prompt: Write a fic focused on your favorite ship; 🎤Juke🎸.**

**PART II**

* * *

“Next up, let’s give it up for Julie Molina.” The crowd clapped as the man stepped away and a curly haired girl made her way across the floor to the grand piano. 

“Woohoo, Jules!” A girl from a table farther to the left called, clapping her hands loudly.

The boy next to her joined in, “Go, Julie!”

“You got this, mija,” the girl’s mother yelled next, and the father soon followed with a cheer of his own.

None of them seemed to care about the girl’s, Julie’s, embarrassed wide eyes. And maybe they shouldn’t, because embarrassed or not, Julie was still smiling. Luke wondered what it’d be like to have supportive parents like that, if they would embarrass him in front of the crowds (he wouldn’t mind it if they did). The mere thought of his parents was like a punch to the stomach, so he shook his head to get rid of it. 

Not tonight. Tonight was Sunset Curve’s night.

He watched as Julie settled behind the piano and pulled the microphone towards her. She seemed to take a deep breath, and then looked at the audience.

“Hi,” she said, throwing a smile at the patrons. “I’m Julie, and this song is called ‘When I Look At You’. I hope you like it.”

Her fingers moved expertly over the keys as the song started with a soft melody. When she started to sing, voice gentle yet powerful, Luke couldn’t help but let his jaw drop, some pizza still only half chewed in his mouth.

“ _Everybody needs inspiration, everybody needs a song. A beautiful melody when the nights are long, cause there is no guarantee that this life is easy..._ ” 

Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see Alex’s smile - a musician recognizing another - and Reggie’s wide, stunned eyes. He didn’t let his focus linger there - he could look at his friends any time, and even though she had barely started, Luke could tell that girl had a killer voice, and he wouldn’t mind listening to it for a few hours straight.

The song started to pick up for the chorus, as did Julie’s voice, “ _Yeah, when my world is falling apart, when there’s no light to break up the dark, that’s when I look at you..._ ”

The rest of the room seemed to fall away; everything was darkness, except her. She was light. Her voice warmed it's way into his body and he felt it. He could feel the emotions with every word, every note on the piano, every move of her body as she swayed where the music took her. 

It was like they were one; Julie and her music and the piano. 

Luke looked at her and he knew how she felt. It was the same way he did everytime he was on a stage. The crowd cheering him on, their energy feeding into his, making it into a loop of euphoria. 

He never felt more like himself than when he had a guitar in his hands, and he could tell Julie was the same: this was her. The girl, singing her heart out and playing like her life depended on it. No, not like her life depended on it, like her life _was_ it. This was her true self, her soul, her heart, and she was absolutely beautiful. 

_"You love me for who I am, like the stars hold the moon. Right there where they belong, and I know I'm not alone…"_ Her eyes swept over the audience, locking onto her family, smiling through the words. 

Luke realized the song was ending way too soon when her voice softened as she reached the bridge. He didn’t have much time to worry about it, though, because her eyes found his and suddenly he couldn’t quite breathe properly.

_“You appear just like a dream to me, just like kaleidoscope colors that cover me, all I need, every breath that I breathe. Don’t you know, you’re beautiful?”_ Her eyes swept away, closing as she hit every high note perfectly.

He startled when people started to clap and call out loudly, as if he was waking up from a dream. A dream he desperately wanted to go back to, but knew he couldn’t. Joining everyone else, Luke tried to yell for more in between the claps, except that was when the half eaten pizza in his mouth made itself known by choking him.

Alex and Reggie turned to find him doubled over the table and immediately started to thump him on the back. When he finally recovered, his eyes were watering and he gladly accepted the glass of water Alex thrust into his hands.

“Thanks, buddy,” he managed to croak out, already turning back to the ‘stage.’ His shoulders slumped in disappointment to see another girl sitting on the stool, readying her guitar. Julie Molina was nowhere near the piano anymore.

Deeming his friend well enough, Reggie bit down on his slice of pizza, legs jumping under the table as he leaned forward with amazed eyes and an excited grin. 

“Wow, man! Did you _hear_ that? That girl has the voice of an angel.”

“Yeah, she is incredibly talented,” Alex agreed, then shot Luke a smirk. “She even managed to get Luke speechless. That’s some power right there.”

“Haha, you think you’re so funny.”

“I _know_ I’m so funny.”

Luke ignored Alex and Reggie’s teasing, too busy searching for the table where Julie’s family had been sitting. He found her in the previously empty seat between the other girl and the mother. She was just a little to the right of his line of sight, but when she turned to smile at something the boy (probably her brother) said, her eyes met his.

The wide smile spreading across his face was immediate, and he beamed at her. He watched as the corner of her lips turned up into a small smile before her attention was pulled back to the conversation at her table.

Luke bit his lip, making a mental note to congratulate her performance later; he didn’t want to interrupt her family dinner.

With that in mind, he tuned back into the conversation at his own table, picking up his second slice of pizza, faintly noting how the boys were already staring longingly at their third. 

“This is awesome, you guys. We’re playing _the Orpheum_!” Luke said, hoping to get their spirits back up.

“I can’t wait until we can eat more than just three slices of one topping pizza,” Alex mumbled, sighing before picking up his last slice.

“Dude, forget the pizza. I can’t even count the amount of bands that have played there and ended up being huge.”

Luke’s enthusiasm was contagious, and soon enough they were all grinning at each other. Reggie let out a happy chuckle.

“We’re gonna be legends,” Alex said, a giddy glint in his eyes that only appeared when his anxiety took a hike.

“Hell yes!” Luke straightened up in his seat and picked up his last slice. He took a turn to look at each of his friends. “Eat up, boys. ‘Cause after tonight, everything changes.”

They toasted with their pizzas.

Luke had no idea just how right he was.

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, yes, I know. It was a short one. But you guys need to know this about me: I always do things at the last minute :/
> 
> I already have most of this written down, I just didn't manage to transcribe everything yet.
> 
> Anyways, I hope you guys liked it!  
> Let me know if you want more.
> 
> \- xoxo, Vi ♡


End file.
